The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-12-31

paused once to watch little gray spur
rel running nimbly up and down the
long limbs of tree, and as he arched
his tail over his back and sat upon his
launches to crack an acorn, he looked |
SO slyly out of his funny little eyes at
the quiet little figure standing by, that
she laughed aloud with delight A
blackbird balancing itself on tall elder
bush. whistled blithely to her rs she
passed. and farther on she stopped and
picked up tiny hop-toad that crossed
her path. The old cow was lost
to sight now, but the bell told her
that she was not far of. and Jennie
hastcned on and soon came up to her
But she did not look so interesting rs
she had at first, and Jennie thought
that she had better 60 home. But
which way should she turn! There was
no path, not even a footprint to show
her which way she had come, and all
around and above her lowered the tall
trees, and the thick bushes shut her in
on every side. She was. lost! What
should she do?
She sat down on log and thought
aboutit She dropped the little toad
by her side. and reaching far into the
depths Of the big sunbonnet, she wiped
the tears out of her eyes with her dirty
little hand. What q forlorn little
maiden she was. away off in the woods
with no one to talk to. no one to take
care of her! What could she do? Why.
follow the cow, of course. She always
found her way home somehow, and she
was the only living thing near that she
knew; and although she was not very
sociable. she had a sort of friendly way
Of switching her tail, and even If she
did hook inquiringly at the big pink
sunbonnet, she never questioned its
right to be there. She moved calmly
along, cropping the leaves and grass as
she went. with apparent disregard OF
the little figure that followed her so
YEARLY. She turned into . swamp
where the wet, spongy ground gave
way to her feet with a sucking sound.
Jennie knew no way but to 60. too, and
the little shoes were soon soaked and
the dress soiled and torn; the sunbon-
net hung hopelessly around her neck
by the strings, but she always kept the
cow in sight. although her little limbs
ached and her lips would culver some
|. times.
She thought Of the Indian children
, PLAYING in the meadow; of the boys
and girls in the schoolvoom learning
their lessons. and of her gentle mother
moving about among them. Sh'
wondered if tomorrow had come, she
had been away so long. But the SUI
had been shining all the time, SO tina
! could not be. and she suppressed sol
as she thought of the dark night il
those lonely woods.
. But what Is that sound so far ava,
a that she can scarcely hear it? If sh
t did not see Brindle near and hear he
bell as she losses her head, she woul'
v think that she was lost to even the oil
; COW, for it surely is q bell ringin,
i! through the woods. She listens, an
j, as it becomes palmer she feels sure tina
s she has heard it before. Nearer
!, comes, and to her joy she recognize
Y the dear old dinner-bcll. and then sh
q thinks. for the first time, how hungf
It she really is. Perhaps it is evening
:. and Brindle has found her way HON
l. rs usual, and she hears the bell ringin
IS for supper! But the COW seems In n
IS hurry rs she leisurely brushes of tn
l. flies with her long tail. Jennie stand
:. still to listen, and the bell continues
Is ring, sounding louder every momen
1t And then she remembers how, la
le winter, when some of themen were To-
II in the deep snow, the rest had gone OF
,t to hunt them and rung the big bell
RS guide them home; and she knows the
ID must be looking for her.
lie papa. here ami she cries. in h
m thin little voice, and echo answer
re 'Here am"
I'd Nearer they come, and she takes {
the big sunbonnet and let's the bree;
he toss back the tangled curls from b.
a hot forehead, as she almost holds h
re breath to listen. When her father, fo
ly lowed by several tall Indians, who a
I'd love the little pale-faced girl, makes b
ed way through the bushes. this is what
a sees: A little girl, with tangled cur
ly and tears stained cheeks, standing up
her waist in the tall ferns. In sl
he hand she holds the string of the b
sunbonnet, which lies on the ground
her side. and the other clasps tight
)r. the ugly little toad, which she b.
or picked up again as friend, not to
parted from out in those lonely WOO
lid where friends were so scarce. b
or. now, as she sees theirstall forms pres
gs ing through the trees, she stretches o